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Fish could be used to try and combat the aquatic weeds that have inundated Watts Bar Lake.

“It’s a grass carp that eats the weed,” Roane County Executive Ron Woody said. “Apparently, they’ve been successful in some of the lower reservoirs down in Alabama. There may be a movement here to solve some of the aquatic weed problem with sterile grass carp.”

Aquatic plants, such as hydrilla, spiny-leaf naiad and milfoil, have been reported on Watts Bar Lake.

Even though she was a charter member of the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble and a former University of Tennessee dance instructor, Jennifer Austin says she “never had any intention” of opening her own studio.

She offered private classes to former students, but saw an unfilled need in Roane County and began Kingston-based Arts in Motion more than 20 years ago.

Today she not only operates the well-respected studio, but also oversees one of the largest “The Nutcracker” productions in the state.

Staying out of trouble paid off for former “Star Trek: Voyager” actress Jennifer Lien.

She appeared in Roane County General Sessions Court on Monday, and had her criminal charges dismissed.

“I know one factor was that she had fully paid restitution to HPD (Harriman Police Department) for damage done during the first incident,” said Public Defender Kim Nelson, whose office represented Lien.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol drug fund got a boost this month, thanks to an out-of-state fugitive Trooper Robert Woody arrested in Roane County.

Reonoppolis D. Taylor was a passenger in a 2002 Ford Explorer that Woody stopped on Interstate 40 on Nov. 5. Digital scales, methamphetamine, rubber bands, a spoon with burn marks and a drug needle were reportedly found in the vehicle. Taylor also had $1,015 in cash in his front pocket.

Harriman Police Chief Derek Pacifico has unique law enforcement experience, and he has a fresh perspective on the Harriman Police Department.

He’s taken a number of steps to look at ways to make the department better since taking the helm.

“First of all, I have done and continue to do a full audit of the entire organization, fiscal, equipment, training and inventory of a very aging patrol car fleet,” Pacifico said. “In doing so, I have reorganized some personnel into more efficient and productive jobs suited to their capabilities.”

When most people from Gatlinburg were doing everything they could to evacuate the city Monday evening, two firefighters from Harriman and one from Kingston took an engine from Harriman and rushed in to help with the fires that devastated much of the city.

“They contacted Chief (David) Bailey Monday afternoon. He wasn’t in, but he contacted me and said to coordinate and see what we could do,” Harriman Fire Department Deputy Chief Brad Daniels said.

A tree fell onto a vehicle on Race St. shortly after the start of the Kingston Christmas Parade Monday night, dropping a power line, breaking the windshield of the vehicle and injuring the passenger.

Two others were injured by the falling power line and transported to the hospital.

“I heard the tree crack but thought it was part of the parade,” said Garrett Strickland of Kingston, who was driving the BMW 535i near Johnson Street and Race Street and waiting for the parade to pass.